Shoe tree



Jan. 25, 1944. J MUTCH 2,340,202

SHOE TREE Filed April '3, 194-3 JIWMMLM 1121112495 B.Mui5fi Gttowaq; I

Patented Jan. 25, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE snoa 'mcn James 13. Match, Rochester, N. 2., assignor to Schelter Last 00., Inc., Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 3, 1943, Serial No. 481,749

4 Claims. ('01. 12-1281) This invention relates to shoe trees.

One object of the invention is to provide a shoe treee of the type embodying a toe and a heel piece pivotally and adjustably connected together and in which the heel piece is of'peculiar ornamental shape provided with a socket to receive ones index or other finger to effect ready and easy lifting or removal of the heel piece from a shoe so as to remove the shoe 'tree from the shoe. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe tree of the nature stated embodying, among other characteristics, a new and novel heel piece of a shape or configuration to provide for easy insertion of the heel piece into a shoe and having a finger receiving socket therein to facilitate removal of the tree from the shoe.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a new and novel heel piece for association in a shoe tree assembly and which is provided with a longitudinally disposed finger receiving opening entering the heel piece through the top thereof whereby the heel piece may be readily lifted out of a shoe.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions and minor details of construction, within the scope of the appended claims, may be resorted to without ideparting from the spirit or sacrificing any advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig, 1 is a plan view of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig, 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the heel piece.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the heel piece taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken'on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the reference numerallll indicates a toe piece of any suitable form or shape provided in its lower face with a slot H wihich leads through the rear end of the toe p ece.

The heel piece I2 is of peculiar shape, being of a solid piece of cedar or other wood or any suitable material. This heel piece is flat and narrow and taller at its rear end that at its forward end and has its rear end l3 rounded at the top and bottom corners} as at I 4 and I5, respectively, with the rounded corner l4 merging gracefully into 'a relatively long forwardly and rather sharply downwardly curved top portion I6, said curvature extending entirely to the front end I! of the heel piece. The lower corner l5 of the heel piece merges gracefully into an upwardly forwardly curved bottom portion [8, extending to the front end H of the heel piece.

The heel piece is provided with a relatively long socket l9 extending substantially horizon-' tally thereinto through the reduced front end l1 thereof at the lower portion of the same.

Formed in the top curved surface It of the heel piece is a notch 20, forming a seat 2 I, which latter has a perforation 22 leading into said socket l9 and in alignment with a perforation 23 leading into said socket through the lower face of the heel piece.

The heel piec'eis provided with a finger receiving socket 24 disposed longitudinally of the tree and above and spaced from the aforesaidsocket l9, .This finger receiving socket leads into the heel piecethroughthe' curved top- It of; the heel piece and substantially intermediate 'theends 1 of the heel piece and in the rear of the aforesaid seat 2|. This finger receiving socket is preferably of a length to accommodate ones index or other finger up to or substantially up to the second joint of the finger.

The toe and heel pieces may be pivotally and adjustably connected together in any suitable manner. One method is to provide a connecting rod 25 pivoted at 26 to the toe piece in the aforesaid slot I l and provided at its other end with spaced perforations 21. This perforated end of the rod 25 is disposed in said socket 19 of the heel piece and with the perforations 21 interment with said perforations 22 and 23.

To fasten the connecting rod in the saidsocket IQ of the heel piece, I employ a pin including a head 28 and a tapering shank 29. The shank 28 tapers slightly so that when the shank of the pin is inserted in the aforesaid registering or aligning perforations 22, 23 and 21, the shank adjacent the head wedges tightly in the perforation 22 of the seat 2| of the heel piece to efiect a tight mounting of the pin to secure the heel piece and connecting rod firmly but detachably together with the head 28 of the securing pin seated effectively on said seat 2|. It will be seen that said fastening or securing pin lies between the forward end of the heel piece and the said finger receiving socket and that the head of the pin projects upwardly from the seat 2|. I

Thus it will be understood that by insertion of ones finger into the socket 24 of the heel piece 12 that the latter may be readily lifted or pulled out of a shoe and by a then further pull on the heel piece the tree may be readily withdrawn from the shoe. Before or after the heel piece is lifted or pulled-out of the shoeonefs. index finger" can be inserted in said'finger receiving'so-cket' 24" and the thumb placed against one side of the heel piece and a finger or fingers next to the-' index finger placed against the other side of the heel piece to facilitate removal of the tree from the shoe. If desired, the sidesoftheflhe'el piece may be provided with the grooves w and 3t to receive, one groove the operators thumb and the and a connecting rod adjustably mounted in said socket and having its opposite end pivotally con- "nected to the toe piece, the heel piece having a finger receiving socket therein extending substan- -tiallyhorizontallyiand leading thereinto from the curvediupper' edge of the heel piece.

other groove receive a finger wherebyto readily' withdraw the tree from the shoe inserting a finger in the socket 24,

d Wi h u When the operator inserts therindex finger. in.socket .24 to withdraw the tree fromthe shoehe may-or may not place the thumb .and. fingers in the grooves 30-,

and il as.may becdesiredi.

Itwill. further be understood that. the. character of toe piece. is immaterial-and that my invention goes mainly to a. new andnovelheel piece. constructed for association.- with. a-suitable toe.- piece. having suitable operable: connecting: means for I pivotally and adjustably connecting. the toe and heellpiecestogetherr What is claimed is I lwA shoe tree comprising? a:toepiece having a slot initsunder sideatand leading through the-:-

reanthereof, a=hee1-piece:having. a forwardly and downwardlts curved upper: face; and also having a socket therein-leading: thereintoz at the front thereot-below thescurvedupper rface; aconnect ing rod pivoted at one end in theslotof. the: toepiec'e. and: having itsw other. end. mounted in the: saidv secket ofrthe heel piece; means for. securingtsaid rod adjustably in- -the socket-of the heck piece, .the heel piece having afinger receiv;

ing'. socket extending. substantially horizontally therein: above and spaced; from: the aforesaid 3. 'A shoe tree comprising a toe piece and a jheel piece;the-heel.piece having its bottom curved upwardly and forwardly to the front end thereof and having its top curved forwardly and downwardly to the. front-end thereof. and'also havinga socket extending substantially horizontally and leading thereinto from the front end, the toe piece havingaslot in the bottom leading, through: the rear endthereof, and aconnecting rod having.

one" end adjustably mounted in the socket of the heel piece and pivotally mounted in. the. slot of the toe piece, said-heel piece having a substantially horizontally disposed finger receiving socket therein above and spaced from the-aforesaid socket and leading into the heel piece. through the curved top thereof toreceive a: finger of theuser whereby to withdraw the heel piece from the shoe and remove the tree from the-shoe.

. 4. Ashoe. treecomprisingj a? toe, piece and-aheel.

piece; means for pivotally and adjustably con"- necting: saidpieces together, the: heel piece being" higher. at its rear portion. and'havingy its? upper face curved forwardlytcx-provide a relatively short. front end, I t-heiheel piece having: a substantially horizontally disposed 'finger. receiving: opening leading" thereinto intermediate the ends: thereof through-the-curved top face ofthesame whereby" to effect removal of the'shoertree'from the shoe: l JAMES B.- MUIiCHZ 

